This was a 3-phased descriptive, exploratory study designed to examine the diverse health beliefs and behaviors among the minority patients who were enrolled in the NIAMS Natural History of Rheumatic Disease in Minority Communities protocol (# 01-AR-0227). Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to assess the psychosocial and cultural correlates of rheumatic diseases with both previously and newly enrolled patients being followed at the NIAMS Community Health Center, an outreach site located in the District of Columbia in the Upper Cardozo Health Center. During Phase 1 we completed 15 face-to-face cognitive interviews (8 in English and 7 in Spanish. Phase 2 included eight focus groups, two including community health partners and six with patients as participants. Recruitment into focus groups was difficult with only a total of 15 participants in all scheduled focus groups. One hundred and ten participants were enrolled in Phase 3 of the study. Six month follow-up interviews were completed September 2006. Secondary data analyses are ongoing for this mixed methods study.